‘A gritty fourth-line player, Ellis rejoins the team for a third season after setting career-highs with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) and 72 games played last year. The signing was announced by the team as Ellis celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday.’

‘Ellis (8/31/1981, 6’, 212 lbs.) spent last season in Buffalo where he set career highs in games played (72), points (13) and assists (10). Ellis, who turns 29 today, now has 33 points (13+20) in 187 career NHL games with Buffalo, Los Angeles and Detroit.’

“If you would’ve told me at the beginning of the summer that I wouldn’t be playing for the Sabres next year, I would’ve been really shocked,” Kennedy said. “But (New York is close) to home. I’m still in the conference. It’s far enough where I’m away from (Buffalo), but it’s close enough where my family and friends could still come and see me whenever they want to.”

‘Buffalo has less depth, one fewer young player with potential and is paying for someone no longer on the roster. It’s costing the Sabres $333,333 to buy out his contract. They could have paid him the extra $200,000, kept him and waived him after the season or traded him during the year and received something back in return.’

Two years ago, the Sabres claimed Matt Ellis on waivers during the preseason. Eventually, Ellis carved out a fourth-line role. Last August, they inked Cody McCormick, and then recalled him during the postseason. McCormick signed a one-way deal in July.

‘Stuart (7/8/1982, 6’2”, 205 lbs.) spent last season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat where he was fourth in team scoring with a career-high 36 points (17+19) in 67 games. The native of Rochester, MN, has 51 games of NHL experience with the Atlanta Thrashers from 2007-09, collecting 13 points (8+5) including four shorthanded goals.’

‘"If I seem conflicted up there, it is because I am," Regier said. "We’re working in a system where we’re competing with other teams in the National Hockey League and we’re trying to figure out how to take the system and best utilize it for our purposes of winning hockey games. As soon as you make that investment and you draft that player, now you have two years to sign him, and once you place your bet on that individual you want to take control of that individual more often than not."’

‘"I’m not mad at them," Kennedy said. "I’m 24 years old. I’m a professional athlete, and I have to act like one. .C.C. Maybe it was the right call and maybe it wasn’t the right call. I made the choice to go, and I live with that choice."’